The Dylan media player requires Flash 9
Set List
- Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
- It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
- Rollin' And Tumblin'
- Desolation Row
- Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
- Million Miles
- Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)
- Highway 61 Revisited
- I Believe In You
- It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
- When the Deal Goes Down
- Thunder On The Mountain
- Ballad Of A Thin Man
- Like A Rolling Stone
- Blowin' In The Wind

Comments
I personally felt that
No Rating
I personally felt that Dylan's performance seemed kind of flat...especially hearing it right after Levon Helm's set. I've seen Bob almost 40 times since 1995 and I have to say I'm really getting tired of his present band. They just seem to hold back too much. I miss Larry and Charlie and Bucky and even Fuzzy.
Great day of music at SPAC
Drove from Toronto to see the show - SPAC is still the fantastic venue i remember, if you can ignore the minor distractions ( yeah, beer cage, oh well). Brilliant set from Dylan - loved the aggressive, driving emphasis on the songs. The re-defining of the songs just makes the concerts that much more thrilling. Blowing in the Wind as a driving blues rock number. How many times? How many times? Loved it. Inspiring and inspired.
Summer afternoon, good music lousey venue.
No Rating
Took a ride up to Saratoga Springs from Liverpool on a beautiful sunshine filled New York summer day just for something to do.
After reading reviews of Bob's shows in Jersey I was anticipating sound problems, and although there were some issues with sound during The Swell Season set, tonights' show was heaven to my ears. Especially enjoyed the whimsical rendition of Desolation Row.The venue leaves a lot to be desired. A beer cage? No thanks. Don't think I will ever make the trip to SPAC until they do a revamp with the facility.Was hoping to hear It Takes A Lot To Laugh And A Train To Cry but it was not to be maybe so on Tuesday, heading west to Canandaigua.
Saratoga Show! Awesome!
I have to say that driving from Hamilton, Ontario to Saratoga Springs, NY to see Bob play after Levon Helm was probably one of the best experiences ever! I wouldn't hesitate to do it again!
The venue was great, except for those poor people sitting on the grass (not the best view) and our seats were awesome inside. As always, Levon warmed up the crowd with his amazing friends, unbelievable voice and skill, and smile itself!
It was great to see Larry Campbell rock out knowing his history of playing with both Bob and Levon. Not to mention Amy, Teresa, Little Sammy and more adding so much to the already incredible performance.
Then.....Bob came on......it was electrifying!
The band was suited up and lookin' sharp!
Ballad of a Thin Man and I Believe In You were just jaw dropping......along with the entire performance really.
I have read some postings about this and the Hamilton show (see my posting there too) and people are really having a hard time getting into Bob's stage performance. I think people have to remember that Bob hasn't played his acoustic set in many years and those wanting to see that will not be able to.
I had a man tell me to go to a concert of my own age group (25) as "you don't even know Bob Dylan" only to see him get up in a huff and leave muttering "This isn't the Bob Dylan I remember"......wake up mister, this IS the Bob Dylan we all know......maybe he didn't hear the beginning intro:
"Ladies and gentlemen.... please welcome the poet laureate of rock-n-roll. The voice of the promise of the sixties counterculture. The guy who forced folk into bed with rock. Who donned makeup in the seventies, and disappeared into a haze of substance abuse. Who emerged to find Jesus. Who was written off as a has-been by the end of the eighties, and who suddenly shifted gears; releasing some of the strongest music of his career beginning in the late nineties.....
Ladies and gentlemen.... Columbia recording artist... Bob Dylan."
number 1 out of the 46 shows I have seen
This was absolutely the BEST Dylan show I have ever experienced. I had front row in front of Tony, facing Bob. The stage was low, and small. He wasn't set far back, and we could stand against the stage.... the rest...was just pure charm!
first time
This was my first Dylan concert (I'm young, alright?) and I really enjoyed myself. Even though his performance had to be delayed (festivals never run on time), I was glad that didn't cut into his set time. His band, as usual, is amazing. Some of my favorite tunes were played, I was especially glad to hear Desolation Row. It was a great show, I would definitely see Dylan and his band again.
I don't get it....
First things first, Bob Dylan is an incredible song writer and he has the prerogative to alter and interpret his material anyway he chooses. With that said, I attended the Saratoga performance and could not warm up to the performance. When a performer alters the basic structure of a song, or alters the melody, or alter the words, it often makes the audience experience the intent of the song with some new insight. Bob Dylan alter the structure. and melody and sang some incomprehensible words that may or may not have any bearing to what the original was all about. The last verse of each song were done in a staccato three word burst format that had me shaking my head.... (If I saw a bad Vegas lounge act do that we would have thrown tomatoes...) In short Bob's performance was one of the worse concerts I have ever attended, I hope he sticks to writing and lets other people do the live performances of his work, we will all be better off for it...
Summer Night and Summer Days is Gone! (Thanks Bob!)
With a nice line-up for the folk festival including Gillian Welch Levon Helm, Conor Oberst and the Swell season it was a fun afternoon, but the half when the half empty performing arts center begin filling up it was clear that most people were there for one reason. Bob didn't disappoint! The band was tight and the vocals were clear as Bob delivered a brilliant "Desolation Row" (he did the staccato one syllable at a time delivery at the end) that had the audience ecstatic. "I Believe in You" was a personal highlight for me; I haven't heard Bob do it in a while and I was thrilled to hear it. So many of the songs were excellent "Bob delivered an angry "Ballad of a Thin Man" as if Mr. Jones himself were sitting in the front row pencil in hand. In short, this was an excellent show. Not as if there was any doubt; Bob Blew every other act away and then some.
SPAC Concert 8/17/08
Bob,of 80-100 concerts attended over 40+year period,this one in terms of enjoyment must be atleast in top 5.Enjoyed your show to the max.Been a fan since probably since '65(when I heard you first).Have 25 or so albums,listen to you often.The years I hope have treated you well.THANKS for an awesome show......stebonf
Jessica and Trevor's First show
jimmy d
I took my two kids to their first show, it was a good one. After Levon Helm and his band did a phenonominal set (same thing, ophelia, anna lee, got me a woman, the shape im in, rag mamma rag, tears of rage, long black veil, chest fever with Larry Cambell tearing up the intro,and the weight with an all star cast including steve earl ) I knew Bob would not be a dissapointment. Bob and the band were at the top of their game. Vocals were much clearer than in Asbury.My kids are 5 and 6 yrs old it is probably a little young for a show, but i wanted them to see Dylan, Hopefully the first of many great show for them..
SPAC 08/17/2008
Dylan was almost an hour late taking the stage because of a number of factors. Some of the opening acts ran long and technical problems earlier in the show pushed his scheduled start time from 9:00PM to almost 10:00PM. The delay didn't seem to bother him and he put on a great show. However we did only get a fifteen song show vs the seventeen songs he did Saturday in Atlantic City.
another Rumi: seeing you heals me.
No Rating
Not seeing you i feel the walls closing
{translation Coleman Barks}
You as in "I blieve in you", "Million Miles (away from you)" or "(I'll be with you when)The Deal goes Down" -
thank you for this show; and it really does not matter at all any more what price i pay.
Rumi: Full Moon. Quietly Awake!
Tonight we are getting love messages
For their sake we must not go to sleep! {Coleman Barks}
another Rumi: seeing you heals me.
No Rating
Not seeing you i feel the walls closing
{translation Coleman Barks}
You as in "I blieve in you", "Million Miles (away from you)" or "(I'll be with you when)The Deal goes Down" -
thank you for this show; and it really does not matter at all any more what price i pay.
Rumi: Full Moon. Quietly Awake!
Tonight we are getting love messages
For their sake we must not go to sleep! {Coleman Barks}
Saratoga Show
This was the best Dylan show I have ever seen live!!! He sang old tunes, new tunes, and they were all jam packed with energy!!!
This was the best birthday gift I have ever received in my life!!!!!!!!
Like a Don Quichotte - Saratoga Music Festival - 17-08-2008
No Rating
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=...
Saratoga Springs, NY
Saratoga Music Festival – 17-08-2008
Bob Dylan – Like a Don Quichotte
Nous avions eu une excellente journée toute faite de musique: Gillian Welch, & Raul Malo, Steve Earle, Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band, The Swell Season, The Levon Helm Band. Et puis, Dylan est arrivé. Je me suis bien demandée comment il ferait après la grandiose prestation du groupe de Levon Helm qui aurait pu être la finale de la journée. J’étais là depuis 2 heures p.m.; il était maintenant près de 10 heures p.m. Le merveilleux chanteur français Hugues Aufray, qui m’a fait entendre pour la première fois, en français les mots de Dylan, y était aussi.
Dès les premières notes de musique dans la nuit de Saratoga, j’ai tout compris. Ça serait quelque chose qui ressemblerait à un combat extrême. Dylan et son groupe avaient décidé de bien achever la soirée avec l’énergie rock d’un groupe au meilleur de sa forme. Il avait décidé que c’était dans un acte de créativité qu’il nous amenait ce soir; il nous a habitué à ça depuis toujours mais là, il s’est bien amusé en nous entraînant encore plus profondément hors des chemins connus, dans des zones où le plaisir d’être un artiste et un musicien prennent tout son sens. Et malheur aux nostalgiques.
Je me suis réveillée ce matin en pensant au grand peintre Jean-Paul Riopelle* qui n’avait de cesse d’inventer de nouvelles manières de faire son travail et qui, malgré tout nous rappelait qu’en peinture, si on est bon, on fait, pour l’art, un pas, peut-être deux. Je comprends que les grands artistes puissent ressentir les choses de cette manière. J’ai ressenti ça hier soir; c’était d’une grande beauté de contempler l’artiste Dylan se réinventer, se concentrant sur l’ouvrage à faire et de belle façon, avec générosité. Sa générosité étant que nous pouvions être là, présents, au banquet qu’il nous avait préparé.
Et puis il nous a fait When the deal goes down tiré de Modern Times…
III
The moon gives light and shines by night
And I scarcely feel the glow
We learn to live and then we forgive
O'r the road we're bound to go
More frailer than the flowers, these precious hours
That keep us so tightly bound
You come to my eyes like a vision from the skies
And I'll be with you when the deal goes down
III
La lune offre sa lumière et brille la nuit
Et je sens à peine son éclat
Nous apprenons à vivre puis nous oublions
Sur la route nous sommes destinés à partir
Plus frêles que les fleurs, ces heures précieuses
Qui nous gardent liés si forts
Tu es apparue à mes yeux telle une vision des cieux
Et je serai avec toi quand la donne se fera
IV
Well I picked up a rose and it poked through my clothes
I followed the winding stream
I heard the deafening noise, I felt transient joys
I know they're not what they seem
In this earthly domain, full of disappointment and pain
You'll never see me frown
I owe my heart to you, and that's sayin' it true
And I'll be with you when the deal goes down
IV
J'ai cueilli une rose et elle a troué mes habits
J'ai suivi le courant sinueux
J'ai entendu le bruit assourdissant, j'ai senti des joies passagères
Je sais que leur apparence est trompeuse
En ce domaine terrestre, plein de déception et de douleur
Jamais tu ne me verras renfrogné
Je te dois mon coeur, et c'est parler vrai
Et je serai avec toi quand la donne se fera
Et puis, les lumières de la scène plongées sur l’artiste se sont retournées vers les gens, comme pour les caresser.
* Jean-Paul Riopelle - En 1992, affecté par la mort de sa compagne — la peintre américaine Joan Mitchell qu’il a rencontrée en 1955 —, il réalise l’une de ses œuvres majeures, Hommage à Rosa Luxemburg ; considérée comme le testament artistique du peintre, cette immense fresque de trente tableaux peinte à la bombe aérosol est aujourd’hui exposée au musée du Québec, à Québec.